Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson hosted a reception in Colombo on 8 November to congratulate 36 Sri Lankans who have been offered Australia Awards scholarships to study at Australian universities in 2019.

The recipients will undertake master’s degrees at Australia’s top universities in the fields of economic development, gender equality and governance.

“Australia has awarded over 1,000 Sri Lankans with scholarships for study in Australia, dating back to the Colombo Plan in the early 1950s” said Mr Hutchesson.

Australia is a highly popular destination for international students. Last year, around 753,000 international students, including over 11,000 Sri Lankans, were enrolled to study there.

“In offering Australia Awards, we strive to be inclusive. We seek out individuals with great attitudes and commitment. We want scholars who reflect Sri Lanka’s diversity because we know that diversity brings new ideas, innovation and a wider outlook.” said Mr Hutchesson.

Members of the Sri Lanka Association of Australia Awards Alumni (SLAAAA) were also present. The SLAAAA provides an opportunity for Awardees to network and interact after they return from studies in Australia.

The Australian Government offers Australia Awards to Sri Lankans on an annual basis.

The next round of Australia Awards Scholarships will be open for applications from 1 February 2019 until 30 April 2019. Please visit the Australia Awards website www.australiaawards.gov.au or www.australiaawardssrilanka.org for further information.